Lavender Elderflower Collins Cocktail Recipe
I like to mix floral and citrus flavors here—it keeps the cocktail feeling both fresh and unique. The prep is straightforward, and you don’t need a ton of tools or ingredients.
Equipment
- Shaker: I use this to really mix things up.
- Measuring jigger: Makes pouring the right amounts easier.
- Fine strainer: Helps catch ice chips and stray lavender bits.
- Tall glass (Collins glass): Honestly, it just looks best in this.
- Bar spoon: Handy for a gentle stir.
- Citrus juicer (optional): Squeezing lemons by hand is fine, but this helps.
- Ice: Gotta have plenty to keep things cold.
Ingredients
- 2 oz gin: I usually go with a classic dry gin—keeps things balanced.
- 1 oz elderflower liqueur: St-Germain is my pick for that sweet floral touch.
- 3/4 oz fresh lemon juice: I always squeeze it myself for that bright tart flavor.
- 1/2 oz lavender simple syrup: Homemade or store-bought both work—just depends on my mood.
- Club soda: Enough to top off the drink usually 2–3 oz, but I don’t measure too strictly.
- Garnishes optional: Lemon wheel and a few sprigs of fresh lavender if I have them.
Instructions
- I fill my shaker with ice.
- Then I add the gin, elderflower liqueur, lemon juice, and lavender simple syrup.
- I shake it up for about 10–15 seconds—nothing fancy, just enough to chill.
- Strain that into a tall glass filled with fresh ice.
- Top with club soda, then give it a gentle stir with a bar spoon.
- For a nice finish, I’ll add a lemon wheel and a sprig of lavender.
Notes
Fresh lemon juice makes all the difference, so I never skip that part. Lavender syrup? I usually make it by simmering water, sugar, and dried lavender, then straining it—easy enough, but store-bought works too. If I’m in the mood for something lighter, I’ll just add more club soda. Want it sweeter? A touch more lavender syrup does the trick. I always taste and tweak as I go—no shame in that.
It’s easy to go overboard with lavender, so I keep it subtle. If I don’t have fresh lavender for garnish, dried lavender or even a twist of lemon peel does the job. For a non-alcoholic version, I swap the gin for more club soda and use elderflower syrup instead of liqueur. Not quite the same, but still tasty.